Should I find another optometrist and lab for my Progressive eyeglasses?

by Pamela
(New York City)

Q:

2008 -7.25 -6.50 +75 090 X 150

2013 -5.50 -100 X 65 -4.25 -025 X 150/200

2016 -6.00 -100 X 65 -4.25 -025 X 200

2018 -6.75 -4.50/ 2.5

PD 31/30

I am 62 and have been successfully wearing progressive lenses for over 20 years. I am also very petite and wear very small adult frames or youth/children’s frames when I can find them.

Up until 5 years ago, I have been extremely happy with my optometrist and the lab that he used.

He would take the time needed to determine that my prescription really covered all my needs as I am an artist who does museum textile restoration (requiring very close fine work with and without magnifying glasses.)

In addition, I must do substantial computer work for reports and spreadsheets, and teach several university lecture courses in a large auditorium in which I must project and zoom into images at more than 75 feet away.

I never had any issues with new frames and prescriptions and always got used to them within a day.

When he retired, a new practice took over all his patients.

Since then, I have had 3 exams and 3 sets of new frames and prescriptions. Each time—including the most recent—there have been substantial problems.

For all three prescriptions, the optometrist said that he felt it was necessary to under-correct the weaker right eye.

I never feel that these new prescriptions give the sharp clear focus at all distances that I’ve been used to previously.

My optical centers are dropped by 2, base curves are maintained, and I always try to keep as close to the same size frame as before.

I am not confident with the expertise of the fitting technician. Each time, the glasses have to go back to the off-site lab for some prescription re-adjustment and a lab correction—such as putting in the C-39 lenses instead of high-index, not dropping the centers, or both, not putting on the anti-glare etc.

My previous frames actually went back to the lab four times and took 6 weeks turnaround.

This most recent exam, the optometrist

obviously got frustrated with me as he couldn’t get the prescription so that everything was sharp.

He said that he felt that it is necessary to continue to under correct and also dropped the astigmatism correction.

My eyes are healthy—no evidence of cataracts, glaucoma etc.

So with these new glasses, reading, and laptop and near distance up to 4 feet are tolerable but barely. But any distance over 5 feet is blurred, and at some far distances like highway signs while driving also has a slight double image.

The stronger left eye seems to be somewhat correct with just some blurring, but the weaker eye seems so off and causes both eye vision to be substantially blurry.

I often feel cross-eyed. I asked if there are other types of progressive lenses that might help and his response is that the lab uses only one kind that most of his patients are happy with.

So these new glasses should go back for corrections. I have been wearing these new glasses for three weeks and vision does not improve.

At what point, do I give up instead of making due and being plagued by headaches.

I feel like I need to toss my $650 glasses and start over with a new eye doctor. But how do I find one who is willing to take the time and work with me.

Can I ask for a copy of my records, and will that be helpful to another doctor?

Thanks so much!

A: Hello,

Well, the myopia is a condition that usually doesn't go away...

So undercorrecting myopia after being corrected for years is, in my opinion, not a good idea.

I see as you write that the problems began with the new specialist, and didn't go away since then, so you should try another one.

Usually, the only situation that can modify your diopters in this strange way is an ocular pathology (cataract, glaucoma, other conditions), but you said you don't have any.

I would suggest making a complete ophthalmological consult, and if everything is ok, then change the specialist.